Mézes Mály, 6 Puttonyos, Tokaj — 2017
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Introduction
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Mézes Mály Great First Growth Single Vineyard
Mézes Mály (MAIZE-esh my) is arguably the world’s original “superstar”
vineyard. The first classification of the already legendary vineyards of Tokaji took
place in the 1730’s, the earliest of any wine region, and Mézes Mály was
designated as a “Great First Growth” – one of only two vineyards with that
classification. Royal Tokaji and Hugh Johnson jointly own this vineyard, which is
the winery’s only vineyard with deep loess topsoil over volcanic bedrock. Vine
age ranges from 20 to 60 years old.
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Vineyard Profile
- Vineyards: Royal Tokaji’s parcels of Great 1st Growth Mézes Mály (100% Estate)
- Appellation: Tokaj, Hungary
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Vintage Report
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In truly exceptional years Royal Tokaji selects the finest berries from its classed vineyards and carefully produces a few barrels of single vineyard aszú wine. 2017 was such a year, just the eighth this century, showing exceptional richness, structure and backbone balanced by lively acidity – a truly volcanic vintage.
Summer was hot, so we began the aszú berry harvest in early September and continued to pick steadily through the ideal autumn weather. In particular, October provided three textbook weeks for fine quality aszú, with day after day of early morning mists, afternoon sunshine and drying winds. We hand harvested each intensely flavored aszú berry from the bunches on the vines. The aszú harvest required multiple passes through each block over many weeks. The aszú wines show great structure, plenty of botrytis, depth and freshness with excellent complexity, all attributes of long ageing potential.
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Vinification
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Excellent quality aszú berries with good structure and perfect botrytis were macerated in fermenting must for two days. After pressing, fermentation finished in neutral Hungarian Zemplen oak barrels. The wines were then transferred into different casks for maturation over two years in Royal Tokaji’s 13th century cellars. The final blends were crafted in Spring 2020.
- Bottled: June 2020
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Technical Information
- Varietal Composition: Furmint, Hárslevelű
- Alcohol: 11%
- TA: 7.3 g/L
- RS: 185 g/L
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Tasting Notes
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Floral notes on the nose with scents of apricot and honey (Mézes Mály translates as “honey-place”). The palate shows typical elegance and depth with peach, pear and dried plum flavors leading to a long, delicate finish.
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Images
Reviews
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Mézes Mály Great 1st Growth, 6 Puttonyos, Tokaj — 2017 — Wine Enthusiast — 98 Points
This medium amber-colored wine comes from the famous Mézes Mály vineyard. It has amazing aromas of lanolin, honeysuckle and beeswax with just a whiff of iodine. In the mouth there are flavors of orange zest and white peach. It has good weight on the palate with balanced sweetness and acidity.
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Royal Tokaji Mézes Mály, 6 Puttonyos, Tokaj — 2017 – Decanter – 94 Points
“The Mézes Mály ('honey pot') 'Great 1st Growth' with its loess soils presents the most distinctive nose among the six 2017 Royal Tokaji Aszús; bruised pineapple, sour citrus, crushed stone and a hint of raspberry candy over an undertone of mango and apricot. An earthy palate of ginger, acacia honey and warming yellow fruits, balanced by chalky acids and citrus peel bitterness, which follows to the finish. Salivating and morish.
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Royal Tokaji Mézes Mály, 6 Puttonyos, Tokaj — 2017 – Vinous – 95 Points
Mézes Mály, 6 Puttonyos, which comes from vines on loess soils, has a beautiful nose. Very pure but not intense, it offers scents of honeysuckle, clementine, lemon sherbet and a touch of black currant leaf, all showing wonderful definition. The palate is very well balanced and impressive weight, but like the nose, there is a subtlety, a lightness of touch from start to finish. Elegant and poised, this is a very classy effort from one of Tokaji’s most renowned sites and it will age with class.